Domestic, inbound and outbound M&A activity interdependence in Brazil

Abstract

PurposeMergers and acquisitions (M&As) are of three types: domestic, inbound and outbound cross-border. Inbound M&As provide an inflow of foreign funds into the economy, whereas outbound M&As involve the outflow of domestic funds. This paper examines the impact of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in Brazil on each other.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyze M&A activity in Brazil and examine the impact domestic, inbound and outbound M&As have on each other. The study uses a vector auto-regressive model to test the relationships for each quarter of 2000–2018. The M&A activity is operationalized using the total number of deals and the cumulative value of the deals in a particular period.FindingsThe results depict stark contrast for M&A activity measured through incidences and monetary value. Overall, the number of deals can better explain each other than value. The authors find that, in terms of incidences, domestic M&A is Granger caused by both outbound and inbound M&As together. Further, inbound and domestic M&As together Granger cause outbound M&As in terms of aggregate monetary value. The impulse response function reveals that incidence shocks created in M&A activity are longer lasting than the value shocks.Practical implicationsThe results have implications for businesses and policymakers. The study reveals the complexities of crowding effects important for businesses. The government needs to structure its future investment-promotion strategies depending on the objectives related to the number and value of M&A activity.Originality/valueThe study uses econometric tools and empirical methods to find the unexplored nature of the relationship between domestic, outbound and inbound cross-border M&As.